Valari, maker of craft and gaming support pillows, recently reached out to me and offered to send me one of their pillows to try out. I have a long history of neck and shoulder pain, and with a new diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, it seemed like a perfect opportunity. Suffice to say, I want to keep my body in as good a shape as I can so I can continue crafting. (This is not a paid post, but I did receive a free pillow, and there is an affiliate link at the end of the post. Click here to go directly to the link and see a 15% discount offer.)
Valari was founded in 2020 and started out making support pillows for gamers, but have recently branched out into marketing to crafters. I decided to try out the regular pillow (it’s also called the ‘Rare’ model in some places on their website), because I thought I’d prefer the plush fabric cover. (Both pillows are the same size, and the premium pillow comes with a two-tone cover in either velvet or suede.) I’m really happy with my choice, as the plush fabric is very soft and comfortable. The cover is removable for washing.
First Impressions
The pillow arrived compressed. The instructions say to put it in the dryer on air dry for a few minutes to fluff up the foam a bit. The cover zips on easily. Both the pillow and the cover seem pretty well made, with a sturdy zipper on the cover.
The first thing I did was take the pillow to my physical therapist, who’s been helping me work on my knitting posture. She’s been after me to prop up my arms on a pillow when I knit on the couch, and she was quite enthusiastic about the pillow when I showed it to her. She even thought of getting one for herself for reading in bed, so avid readers take note!
The pillow works great for a variety of activities – I’ve used it not only for knitting, but also to prop up my laptop or phone when sitting on the couch or in a chair; unclasped it’s also comfy to lean on when lounging on the couch reading or scrolling social media. It helps me to avoid looking down with a forward neck position, and I’ve noticed a difference in my neck and shoulder pain since I started using it.
Cons
My biggest critique of the pillow is the lack of adjustable clasp or larger size option. The website claims this item is one size fits all, but in reality it isn’t size inclusive. The inner circumference is 36 inches (91.5 cm), according to the website. As someone with a 34-35 inch waist I can just clasp the pillow around my waist comfortably. Of course, it can be used without the clasp – my husband, who is larger, tried it and it works just fine, support-wise. Valari also offers an extension clip that increases the circumference by up to 10 inches, which you can get free with the premium bundle. But it would be fairly easy to make the clasp adjustable by default, and perhaps to offer a larger size pillow.
[Update: After posting this I learned that an acquaintance in my craft group owns one of the pillows with the extension clip, and it works well for her.]
I also wish there were more eco-friendly options for the filling and/ or cover. As someone concerned about sustainability, I’d like to see some non-synthetic options, even if they came at a higher price point.
If you’d like to try the Valari pillow for yourself, you can take 15% off with the code BULLOCKOZKANDESIGNS15 on the Valari website. (Note that this is an affiliate link; I receive a commission when you purchase.) Valari does offer a 90 day trial and a money-back guarantee.
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